Go green

Wednesday

Mar 26, 2008 at 2:00 AM

The Cape and Islands Renewable Energy Collaborative has been working hard to get local citizens to think beyond Cape Wind, to take action now to save energy and promote renewables at the residential, business and community levels.

The Cape and Islands Renewable Energy Collaborative has been working hard to get local citizens to think beyond Cape Wind, to take action now to save energy and promote renewables at the residential, business and community levels.

Something as simple as getting every household on the Cape and Islands to install compact fluorescent light bulbs contributes much to a sustainable energy future.

Founded in 2000, the collaborative is a vast network of individuals and organizations that has been hosting forums and workshops to address the adverse impacts of a failed national energy policy, a policy that still relies heavily on imported and dirty fossil fuels.

One of the collaborative's greatest achievements is the development of a renewable energy action plan (www.cigogreen.org), which recommends specific ways residents, visitors, businesses, towns and schools can reduce energy or invest in renewables.

For example, the collaborative recommends a five-step energy action plan for Cape and Islands residents:

4. Support renewable energy. Use efficiency-related savings to purchase green power through Cape Light Compact Green, a National Grid GreenUp Provider, the New England Wind Fund; buy biodiesel fuel or bioheat through the Self-Reliance Oil & Bioheat Cooperative; and invest in renewable energy systems.

5. Call for action. Participate in public forums, ask government officials how they are going green, and give your elected and appointed representatives clear signals.

The collaborative has also challenged local towns to go green. Chris Powicki of Cummaquid, the driving force behind the collaborative, said Falmouth has made the most progress so far. It has conducted an initial emissions inventory and made a commitment to reduce emissions 10 percent by 2020.

Barnstable has conducted an initial emissions inventory and "established an extremely aggressive policy commitment," Powicki said — a 20 percent reduction in emissions from 2003 to 2013.

Truro and Provincetown recently adopted generic policy commitments, consistent with the U.S. Mayors Agreement (http://www.mayors.org/uscm/resolutions/73rd_conference/env_04.asp), and are in the process of conducting emissions inventories.